Guest Post:
PREVENTING OTD (OFF THE DERECH) IS A MEDIA JOB
My dear friend Stephen Colbert (the “rival” of Jon Stewart, for those who can’t stay up past 11:30 p.m.) usually has his annual “ATONE-a-PHONE” shtick just before Yom Kippur. Some whacko Jew calls his Magen-David-laden phone to say sorry for something he’s done during the past year; this usually makes Yom Kippur come across as silly and funny, but it makes Judaism look really COOL!
On another night, however, Colbert –whose writers are mainly Jewish if you go by their names– showed footage of a bunch of black-hat, beard-yielding yids arrested for pawning organs in the underground market, and suddenly Jews didn’t look so cool.
If you believe that all things come from Hashem, then so does the camera, the production crew, and the television set, and despite those individuals who insist on lowering our image to the rest of the world, the Almighty wants us Jews to create a positive PR movement for ourselves. Therefore, it is our duty –whether we are learned and wordly Ba’al Teshuvas graduating from Ivy League universities, or quietly unassuming FFB’s graduating from the Yeshivas– to spawn the latest in Jew-friendly commercials, ads, books, magazines, computer games and websites where anything Jewish might stand out.
On the same note, many secular Jews of the past 50 years who have grown up watching Cecile B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments or Dreamwork’s The Prince of Egypt are full of pride in their heritage, despite never having come so far as two inches to a Torah scroll. Keeping the laws of shabbos or separating milk and meat are beyond what a secular Jew can even fathom. What is memorable to a non-affiliated Jew are the cinematic heroics of Moses fighting against the oppression of his enslaved brothers and his boy-to-man journey of growth and maturity. Moses as movie star is likable and more real than a black and white sketch in a dusty old chumash!
Now, of course in the Frum community, we have many role models to look up to, and indeed, the humbler they are, the better they are as role models, but oftentimes, they’re missing that “likability” factor, or what I like to call “with-it-ness”. You can be the wisest of scholars, but if you don’t know what your congregation knows, then how can you be a connecting tool between your followers and the Torah?
This is why demanding your community to ignore or avoid all forms of media (which I think is becoming more difficult unless you live in a shtetl that has no electricity within a 50 square-mile vicinity!) Even my rabbi knows what baseball games are happening, what CNN is saying about the latest security threats, and what the internet is saying about the latest “K’llel Hashem” Jew. His drashes have that much more meaning when he encourages us, his audience, to relate our current world to the Torah.
Indeed, the FFB community continues to make enemies of some of our media moguls…But just like Jon Stewart and Jerry Seinfeld and Mordecai Richler make intermarriage look cool, we should have movies and documentaries –posted on Youtube if funding is a problem– about two Jewish people who make it work the old fashion way, with family purity laws and keeping shabbos. It really can be romantic!!.
Just like McDonald’s and KFC have the hold on fast food marketing and advertising, there should be a Kosher burger and chicken place (is there an echo out there?) doing the same. Yes, this all takes funding, but there are so many creative Jews with access to the media that can totally use it to the advantage of the Jewish people. So if your Rabbi refuses to have a “movie” night along with his Torah talk, I’m not sure how you’ll get all those unaffiliated Jews to go to his Malave Malka lecture over the club downtown.
By Liora Oppenheimer
Lyricist/composer,
Hannah and Peninah: A Musical Interpretation
Um. Hesh? Did you bother reading this before posting? It’s a mess. Skipping from point to point, unfinished sentences. A manic piece that resembles a seventh grad composition assignment. I have a feeling I’d disagree with a lot of the content here…if only I could make better sense of it.
I have a feeling you don’t like to read what’s true.
Which is why I read blogs like this one? I have a feeling you are oversensitive about postings on a satire themed blog.
“This is why demanding your community to ignore or avoid all forms of media…”
There are quite few, if any, North American community rabbis/ravs/poseks/rebbes who demand ignorance to the degree that you suggest. You may not agree with the hashkafa presented in chareidi journalism, but that’s an ignorant hop, skip, and jump to suggest that the “frum” community does not know about security threats and other such important local/national/international news. They may not scour the internet for lashon hara blogs that expose the latest chillul Hashem, but that does not mean they need to open their homes and communities to the areas of tv/internet/music which cater to lifestyle that they may disapprove of.
Local community rabbis generally are not aiming for night club attendees at their motzei Shabbos shiur. They are aiming for their own congregants. This is a generalization of a difference between a pulpit rabbi and an outreach rabbi.
As an aside, it could be that Canadian rabbis and layleaders are lame ostriches. You may want to broaden your horizon of the “frum” community in North America before judging that so many of our rabbis/role models lack “likability” or “with-it-ness”
On the contrary, it was a with-it Rabbi who introduced me to the Orthodox way of life, a with-it Rabbi who got my husband involved and married us, and to this day, I am STILL with an Orthodox rabbi B”H”, because he is amazingly WITH-IT!
But in truth, don’t you think a “pulpit” rabbi should also be trying to do some “outreach” as well, because, according to Heshy’s previous blogs, the greatest OTD victims are FFB’s who just want to leave the (disconnected) home base and look onwards for deeper yet more interesting pastures??
You are so very lucky to have been exposed to so many with-it rabbis, considering your original sentiments that “oftentimes” frum rabbis lack that very with-it-ness. You seem to have defied all odds in your spiritual journey! (Please note the heavy sarcasm in regard to your glaring self-contradiction).Regarding the role of a pulpit rabbi, first of all, I hardly think that Heshy or his blog are scholastic, halachic or philosophical authorities on the trends of orthodoxy and those who go off the derech. Perhaps Heshy is the satirical authority. While I thoroughly appreciate Heshy’s take on the world, life and Judasim…he is hardly the bottom-line-in-stone TRUTH of all wisdom in the world. (Heshy I’m curious as to your reaction to that statement). I wholeheartedly agree that it would be nice if pulpit rabbis (and ANY rabbi and any Jew) would involve themselves in outreach. However, that does not change the fact that their role and chosen calling in life (at least for the time being) is as a PULPIT rabbi. Of a congregation. Consider this, imagine a notable and successful outreach rabbi who works on a college campus or with at-risk youth (as easy examples). Such a rabbi may be talented, wise, and with-it. Certainly capable of successfully outreaching to those he works with. According to your slant on things, shouldn’t this theoretical rabbi open up a shul?! Let him share his methods/hashkafos with the laypeople! Let him inspire a kehilla! The fact is–no. Would it be nice? Probably. But it’s NOT WHAT HE DOES. And so to the pulpit rabbi. Can he mix it up a bit here and there? I hope so. Can he swing the kiruv thing now and then? Would be nice. Is it the function of his role? NO.
Good Shabbos in any event. My obnoxious comments aside, it’s nice to know that there are progressive Orthodox thinkers out there. Even if we don’t agree.
You are a formidable opponent REALLY but I don’t think we disagree according to your last entry. A rabbi must do what he can to intrigue, connect with, and entice Jews to stay or to return to the fold with all the skills he may possess. And it’s not fair to say that I’ve defied all odds and been lucky, I just CHOSE to follow those people whom I see as both knowledgeable in chalacha and aware of the day-to-day politics that are out there. BTW, just so you know, when I say ” with-it”, I don’t mean a cool rabbi who’ll smoke a joint motzi shabbos and sing kumbaya!
Meh. It’s much more entertaining to be an opponent than in agreement. I hope that no one who is reading these comments gathers that we agree–just because you seem to think so.
I don’t understand how my sarcasm could have possibly been lost on you. I STILL find your statement of “oftentimes” frum rabbis lacking with-it-ness ignorant and libelous. I think you are totally missing my point of different types of rabbis’ roles. Again I stress–our responsibility as Jews nothwithstanding, whether we’re ordained or not–a pulpit rabbi of a congregation is not hired to be mekarev non-congregants clubbing on the other side of town. And finally, your gross statement of “This is why demanding your community to ignore or avoid all forms of media…” How sheltered are you? Do you believe every blog you read which vilifies orthodox communities? New Square, Williamsburg, Boro Park, Bnei Brak…the people there do not ignore/avoid all forms of media. Or maybe it is your current with-it rabbi who is feeding you these ideas? Give me a break. You owe orthodox Jewry an apology for making such an ignorant statement in a public forum.
Please. We may agree on certain things (do you like the Beatles?). But you clearly avoided commenting/responding on any other these prior mentioned points of strong disagreement. We do not need to debate, we don’t need to continue this. I don’t think that’s what this forum is generally for. But if you want to keep this going, at least have some integrity in your responses-. Not just some flowery “oh I think that really you agree with me!” when clearly I do not and I do not want to be grouped with certain opinions of yours which I find quite distasteful. Shavuah Tov 🙂
Really? You are my Simon Cowell, my Joan Rivers, my Blog Pygmalion and I so appreciate your making me into a better blogger than the one I was just over a week ago (probably not in your mind, but one out of two ain’t bad); so it is with heartfelt emotion that I link you to the trailer of a movie that perfectly aligns with my theory that Yiddishkeit will become stronger with accurate media interpretation, followed by dialogue, of course — namely, Holy Rollers. I know, I know, it’s a traif look at the Hassidish community of New York, but you must keep in mind that the purpose of all drama is either to:
a) represent an occurence that has happened in the past or
b) represent an occurence that could very well happen in the future.
I believe this movie, with my fave Jewboy Woody Allenesque actor Jesse Eisenberg, had both of these purposes in mind. Enjoy… if you dare!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rztiwAu6VA
Really? you are my Simon Cowell, my Joan Rivers, my Blog Pygmalion!! I thank you for making me into a better blogger than I was over a week ago (maybe not in your mind, but one out of two ain’t bad).
However, I must end our non-riff by suggesting you see the latest DVD called Holy Rollers, starring my favourite Jewboy actor du jour Jesse Eisenberg. Iknow, I know, you and thousands of others think it’s a traif representation of a Yeshiva bucher who goes Off the Derech, but really it’s the perfect example of media as an agent of dialogue in all of our communities. You must remember that all dramas have one purpose:
a) to represent an event that HAS happened. OR
b) to represent an event that COULD happen.
Holy Rollers is a bit of both, as it merges an historical event in 1998 with the personal downfall of a well-meaning Jew in an intrigue that makes each one of us cautiously ask “could this happen to me?”
Please, I’m not nearly as closed minded as you imagine. You have ignored and/or ineffectively responded to the main points I raised. On a more amicable note, Holy Rollers already was near the top of my to-see list. I too will retire from this thread, primarily due to the fact that the original post is geographically heading south from the top of Heshy’s blog and I’m too lazy to scroll down. It’s been a pleasure and I do sincerely wish you much success in all future blogging. Really.
Liora, I may be naive, but to me, it taints the purity of your ideals when you’re promoting a certain outlook to promote your business.
Do you agree?
Well if your business doesn’t follow your ideals, how honest are you in your business dealiings??
He’s saying that the ideals are following the business.
Not the other way around.
well, I tried the ideal of complete silence and that totally didn’t work, so yes, my business (entertainment) and my ideals (trying to keep it kosher) are very closely linked.
The article makes a very good point. There are many films like the ones mentioned and Fiddler on the Roof that help with this. There needs to be more films like those, and more media in other sectors such as television. There’s a Jewish television channel now, but it’s very boring and only people with digital cable in certain areas get it.
Have you seen the latest production of Fiddler? The last girl doesn’t intermarry. This kind of censorship goes against the grain of what Jews should be doing, that is looking for truth!!! Thanks for your comment.
I’ve never seen the play, only the film.
I know who wrote this, she goes to my shul!
Congrats on getting your article posted, Leora!
Not a bad read as well… and while I agree that good PR is important, I have to point out that not once in the article do you explain just why good PR should specifically stop people from going off the derech. I like the argument when used as a solution against general bad PR for observant Jews, but I don’t see in the article exactly how this’ll stop kosher Jews from going against the grain and grabbing a Big Mac.
And just because someone or something is “likeable” or lacks that “likeability” status (which for me is synonymous with being popular/popularity), doesn’t mean its the most effective or the best thing to do/person to listen to. The Rabbi of our shul told me this personally…
Nonetheless, great post & I look forward to soon talking to you about it in person.
Burger bar burger bar…get some today!!!
(Now don’t you feel like a kosher burger already?)
As for likability, of course it’s disputible, but 9/10 times, it’ll get’em through the doors to listen to the Rabbi, so that’s a pretty important step. And then, after hearing the TRUTH of the TORAH for 10 years or so, you want some likability in the mix!
(btw, see you in shul!!!)
Jerry Seinfeld is married to a Jew. Their daughter is getting at least a minimal Jewish education (i.e. after-school Hebrew school). What.
I’m glad to hear it. Wish he’d talk about his kids’ schooling on his Marriage Ref show. It would make Jewish programs seem all the more cool!!
Well now! As a marketing professional, I am all for aggressively marketing and advertising whatever it is you’re hoping to promote. However, I do believe all these efforts need to be targeting the appropriate audience. In other words, a Kosher establishment should be advertising via avenues used by folks who keep kosher…it is a narrower market than the one Mickey Ds is targeting and trying to compete with it is useless from a fiscal perspective and is just a waste of money. Also, who cares if the world at large thinks Jews are “cool” or “likeable”? I do not believe that the Jewish people need to be viewed as a product to be sold… I mean, the black-hat-wearing-beard-sporting yids should have thought about their actions, not some amorphous PR fairies or even Colbert’s writers…Just my two cents.
I wish you were right… the kosher should advertise to the kosher… but if you want the secular to appreciate kosher, you’ve got to sell it to them OUT THERE. Having been in the non-kosher world myself, and noticing the stark “wing-nut” looks I get from those non-kosher Jews with whom I work today, trust me it’s a hard sell.
Explain to me why you’d want the secular to appreciate the kosher? That question needs to be answered/addressed before this discussion can move forward.
because it’s become a million dollar (anthropological?) industry to get secular Jews back “on the derech” (topic of this blog!)
Of course, if you feel kiruv is not important, then go about your day, but –having been there!!– there is something missing from the secular Jewish lifestyle for many people, perhaps not everyone. I believe we should show off the goods and at least and try!!
Kiruv has its place, I think, but not sure if the aggressive hard sell is how Kiruv should be presented. I can tell you from experience that being accosted by overzealous folks during my rush hour commute is not: 1. welcome; 2. successful; 3. practical…and is plenty aggressive. And its not the topic of this blog, just of this post and I am explaining, perhaps not clearly enough, some flaws in this thinking. Actually, I think the mere existence of sites like this one does alot more to “show off the goods” than anything being suggested in this post.
I totally agree with you… that’s why Frumsatire, as Heshy pointed out, is becoming one of the most popular blogs out there.
But in NO way did I say Media has to be aggressive and overzealous… on the contrary, if Jerry Seinfeld just says a joke like “wow, that’s like my kid’s Jewish Day School!!” on his show, it seeps through people’s minds in the most unsuspecting and delightful way. That’s what MEDIA does; it leaves a POSITIVE image in your mind, making you want more.
Ok, would you have a problem having me mekarev you to the reform movement then? I think the fundamentals of orthodoxy are wrong. Should I spend money about true faith within a context of bible critique, and a science that can now cause proteins to spontaneously develop by themselves in conditions extremely similar to primitive earth? Shall I go accost every Jewish guy in a hat and a white shirt black pants asking them are they Jewish som I can do this to them?
Being idealistic only makes sense one way.
If you don’t believe there’s anything to it all, then who cares if one is following the truth or not?
Maybe I believe that what I believe has truth to it- Orthodoxy doesn’t have claim on truth to me.
My point was more that anyone could claim to be mekarev to any point of view, and hence that’s a problem if you talk about marketing
Some very good points.
Still, it is important that you realize that being a “Light unto the nations” is not the main ‘purpose’ of the Jewish nation. It is a nice and commendable concept. Definitely an important aspect of our beliefs.
But don’t make it bigger than it is. Far, far (very far), more important than any of the nations’ perception of us, is our personal day to day observance of the Torahs laws and ideas. And when our ability to stay pure of the mindsets and concept which we deem so impure and damaging to a Jew, is impeded by involvement with non-Jewish culture, we don’t consider it an option, even if it means putting us in a negative light.
As far as what seemed to be your main point, that we as the Jewish nation of 5771, should focus our efforts on getting secular Jews to notice us and see who we are, that task falls into the hands of those individuals who find themselves in the (relatively unusual) position to do so. The very unique and broad Yeshiva graduate, the exceptionally charismatic BT, the OTD who came back and better understands the misconceptions…
To suggest that all of Orthodox Jewry by default adapt to the culture of the world, especially the one going on around us, is unrealistic. From a Torah point of view, and from a practical point of view.
For sure we should follow the Torah as closely as possible in our day-to-day, but it is not realistic — as we see from many kids falling OFF the DERECH; you can no longer hide the TV, internet, radio from them, unless they have themselves made the commitment to isolate themselves in full yeshivish studies. So, yes, charismatic figures who are former OTD’s, BT’s or FFB’s are needed in every congregation/ organization. And it is happening, but sometimes the CREATIVITY is not there.
There were OTD’s in every generation.
There aren’t significantly more in ours, which would suggest we attempt to change the way we view adaptation to the world.
It goes without saying that most orthodox Jews today have adapted to their surroundings one way or another. Very few of us live in a Polish shtetl. (and I’d like some comments on this from shtetl dwellers such as Monsey or Lakewood please!!) But just because we will always lose Jews OTD, does that mean we shouldn’t try to lessen the blow?
Actually, there are more in this generation. You just don’t run into a lot. I can name at least two people who come from nice religious families and who are not religious anymore and you have never heard of. They are not engaged in the Jewish blogsphere at all.
There are at least 10 people from my high school class, and we have yet to hit the point of a few divorces and/or people hitting their mid thirties (it takes longer)
If you invest in a heavy marketing campaign- does that have the implication that the faith isn’t strong enough on its own?
Let’s put it this way, I always knew I was Jewish growing up, but did I have the knowledge as to what that truly meant?? That’s where “cool” marketing — vs. aggressive yids who accost you on the street– can come in handy. Oftentimes, this can be done with “pizza-lunches” at a public school that has unaffiliated Jews. Too bad they started this at my high school after I left.
Some background- I’ve worked doing exactly what your subscribe to in one of the toughest Jewish communities in NA- San Francisco/Bay area (it was a summer job that was supposed to go long term, thanks for nothing Madoff) Further, I’ve actually written academic papers on the nature of free market and network economics on Religion in general, fundraising, and the Jewish community in particular. Further, I come from an orthodox family, even though I am not orthodox now.
denominal and religion switching is omnipresent in both Judaism and in other religons across the US. According to the NJPS, Pew Forum, Synagogue 2k, AviChai and organizations like Reboot, it’s not coolness and never was coolness that was the issue. It’s largely that we live in a society where we maintain a multiplicity of identities all the time that we turn on and off, rather than a previous ideal of a core identity. It’s why you don’t see major amounts of Ba’alei Teshuva in comparison to Formerly Frum. It’s also why we’ve seen the rise of organizations that work on the idea of expressive Judaism which combines identities- such as Hazon (bike riding, csas, a conference about kashruth and the ecology, stressing the ideas of Michael Pollan), as well as a re-evaluation of the idea of tradition and spirituality (see Hadar, see the jewish mediation center). Largely this is happening because orthoprax and orthodox expressions across denominational lines are not satisfying on their own.
There is no marketing campaign that can get around the fact that Judaism is one of many identities and priorities, and that it must meld with the others available to succeed (as always was historically the case, why the hell do we have councils of sages in Poland at one point of history- to figure out how to deal with semi-jewish autonomy)
Largely, Orthodoxy is a market failure in its choices of sociological adaptations to this fact.* Faith and faith alone can’t long term indulge in a society that is skeptical and has free choice. In fact, I would identify with the media as being a critical source of undermining Orthodox values. I can look up Jewish people in Israel angry that there is no peace movement, or who can’t marry who they choose, and hear their real voices. I read on conversion scandals. And I can see how fringe communities within Jewish life that have nothing to do with Orthodoxy per say make a difference in how ethically people live every day. From all of this, I have to choose. And that doesn’t include the fact that I can read the Koran or the Bhodivistia online. If I feel more inspired on a faith level by reading the six noble truths, or I feel more engaged in my worlds by becoming a Wiccan, how are you to combat that?
Pizza doesn’t cut it- you can’t pull the wool over people’s eyes of the idea of choice long term. In order to market to young jewish people, one has to embrace their challenge of an engaging life. Marketing in its most traditional forms doesn’t cut it (it’s informative, but not per say educational). Only through education and answering the call of how to combine ones life would one actively see a rise in engagement across the board.
I’d actually rather continue the pattern of Jewish life that we are now in for this reason- because of the idea of emerging adulthood, I actually don’t mind that we perceive “unaffiliated” among young people. Usually engagement and marriage open up an adult construct of faith and lifestyle. I think its an ideal time to start, especially since marriage is now being delayed until ones late 20s early 30s on average by people with a college education (most jewish people fall into this category) If one needs the time to figure it out- go ahead.
Also, people who I know who are sephardic and/or eidot mizrach tend to not like yiddishisms like Yids. For some of them, it denotes that they aren’t part of the faith/culture the same way because they have 0 attachment to yiddish and yiddishisms. In english they are just Jewish.
Thanks for getting in on the discussion. (and no offense for the term Yid!!)
I feel we have come to different decisions in life (you have left orthodoxy, I have joined it) precisely because man/womankind is never satisfied with his/her parental involvement growing up and he or she usually needs to find the TRUTH out there on his or her own. We have both been through the post-secondary educational system and although we have reaped much from academia (beautiful writing skills, it seems!!) this alone cannot make me feel satisfied with my REFORM surroundings. I’m not sure if you have a family of your own, but I think that once you DO, you will appreciate the rituals of Orthodoxy. Do I practise free will and see a naughty movie once in a while?? Of course! But the FREEDOM of the reform world allows the naughty movie to be seen with another couple, as opposed to the privacy of your own home, and therein starts the slippery slope.
I definitely feel young Jews should be allowed much freedom to discover other worlds out there and conclude for themselves what their own limits should be. I totally encourage experiencing everything one can, without getting mortally wounded of course, because ultimately, most of us just want a family to settle down with and connect with. Just keep in mind that one does age — and unfortunately women age faster than men in terms of fertility– so put a time limit to the disovering stage!
Actually I left because I don’t think Orthodoxy can answer about great truths about life. I think their are huge intrinsic problems about how it’s legal system is constructed. And don’t get me started about truth in bible.
I’m not worried about fertility as opposed to creating and keeping wealth within the community at large.
And I find arguing from the slippery slope a poor argumentative technique in general-it’s a form of infomral fallacy since in no way can anyone prove that freedom causes more bad choices. In truth neither you nor I know what will happen if a pair of couples watch a pr0n tape.. They could be laughing at the bad acting for all we know.
And while most people want to marry and have kids (particualy in this country, we like the idea of marriage) I’m not quite sure how Orthodox ritual is better than say Conservative or Reform ritual, or even Buddhist ritual. Or what any ritual should be like- for example, I like that my non-demonational hillel (wife is actively conservative) director at my old college takes his kids and ask them to specify a thing they have done wrong aloud and how will they change it when they do tashclich.
If being Orthodox is a lifestyle choice, as you implied through your comments about family and children, one should argue it as much. Then you get into a particular weakness- there are many lifestyles that are equally positive. Why orthodoxy?
I think it’s obvious that we’re at different points in life (I’m a mother of 4, which has its own issues, and yes, we struggle in our own way to make Orthodoxy relevant).
But your emphasis on Jewish education is understating the obvious: Jews in all denominations are very well educated ! My 8 year-old already has 1 hour of homework every night, but the only thing that interests him at the end of the day is his DS game. We can take it away, but then we would really see his resentment grow.
The fact that there are fewer BT’s than assimilated frummies possibly proves that the BT’s had much more (media, social) freedom growing up vs. the frummies, and this is what led them to desire a “deeper” or perhaps more “structured” lifestyle.
Again, I’m not disputing that people can ultimately choose what they want, I’m merely saying, if they can show science geeks on the Big Bang Theory, why not make one of them a cute chassidic Jew?? (and please don’t say because they’re always too serious, as that would be a horrible stereotype of a Chassid).
I felt a need to come back to this-
Actually I was emphasizing the point that ritual is a life of its own, and that to prioritize Orthodox Ritual as better is foolhardy at best, and failure to understand how rituals work and guide us at worst. I think that most Jewish people have a poor education, including most Orthodox Jewish people. I’m not so sure many people would give bat mitzvahs in the orthodox world if they knew it came out of Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan (founder of the Reconstructionist movement) and the rise of feminism in the 1970s. It’s history smacks of “what other movements do, and therefore we don’t do it” and yet most except for the most stringent Chareidim (think: Satmar, Tosh, extremely right wing Litivish people) give their daughters bat mitzvahs of some sort. (not that I think it’s a bad idea, I just find it strange)
I’m not sure how you got to this point, please explain it to me. As far as I know, I don’t see the evidence of this principle.
The fact that I have don’t have children is sort of irrelevant to the conversation. What is relevant is that you are not answering the following basic question-
Since you can’t prove faith (and I’m still going to believe that the text assembled is written by multiple people, the gemera verifies that, see TY Taanit 68a, Tractate Soferim 6:4, both linguistically older parts of the talmud, as well that I believe that Halacha is largely human constructed as a legal system should not impact the actual religion itself, nor does it for the 83% of Jewish people on the planet who are not Orthodox) Why Orthodox Judaism? Where is its internal strength that is unique and particular of what I would get if I were a Buddhist?
As for why there isn’t a show about cute chassidim- there are something in the order of 5 million Jewish people in the US, and another 6 million in Israel, plus a few million here and there in the rest of the world- there is not so much of a market. Plus, the vast majority of jewish people in the US are not orthodox, which is why the Jewish Channel’s content is tailored to them (same with this American Girl doll, Rebecca Rubin: http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/static/rebeccadoll.jsp, she’s sort of Orthodox, from what I can tell, but not quite, they keep kosher, but her father keeps his store open on Shabbos. It’s also like 1914.)
Though I should tell you there was a Soap Opera about a Chassidic Court in Israel called “The Rebbe’s Court”/HaChatzer , plus there is Srugim (also out of Israel). Again though, you got a bigger market there in a contained area, and not everything is presented positively (they’re dramas, people get divorces and leave religion and whatnot, they reflect a sort of realism about life where people get divorced and leave religion and become more religious) Plus another issue with say doing reality TV about Chassidim like they do with quiverfull families (see, the duggers) in the US- no film crews on Shabbos make for a boring story.
Ah Ethnic Marketing….
But if our actions constitute both a violation of halacha AND a chillul Hashem (this could include charging separate prices for friends vs. strangers or blocking a hydrant when we stop off for Mincha) then we are neither purifying our own commitments to Torah, nor are we acting as a light unto the nations.
The only Orth0dox Jews mentioned in the non-Orthodox world anymore are either the fanatics who throw bleach on denim-clad females, or black-hatted, bearded criminals who are caught with their hands in the till. This needs to change!
The world doesn’t like Jews. They have other stuff to show, the bad stuff about the Jews is exciting. The good stuff – not so much.
Exactly, dear readers!!! Which is why the media needs to manipulate this image of Orthodox Jews. If the Arabs can do it so well for their “poor, struggling” people, why can’t we do it for ours, but in a less “victimized” way.
Oh, please. You sound like Fox News complaining about all the good news from the war in Iraq not being shown. People getting in trouble, whether Jewish or not, is news. People going about their lives is not, and no one would want to watch/read that.